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Sunday, April 3, 2016

We all need to stop sometimes and look at our children with a critical eye. Not to criticize, but to see the wonderful people they are and the special things they do, which we sometime lose track of in the busy lives we lead.
My youngest studies karate. His dojo is very strict about testing and the frequency of it. He cannot earn a black belt as a child, only a red belt, which is the youth equivalent. When he turns 15 he may study as an adult, but he will only be considered an adult green belt, so he will still need to earn brown and black as an adult. He loves karate. He earned his purple belt in Dec. or January - so long ago I forget, and although I was very proud of him, I never mentioned it. Here is a photo of him after being awarded the belt, standing with his fellow purple belts in front of the photos of the many black belts, as well as his sensei and Master Demura.

My daughter made her college acting debut in a production of The Vagina Monologues this February. I drove out to her college to see her in a show I, myself, had performed in some years ago. I was very proud of her and the work she did.

My eldest started a new day program, twice a week, going out into new places, trying new things - last week he went to a fish hatchery, this week a factory that makes goal posts, and to and art class to work in clay. new places, new faces - not always easy, but he is doing really well.

In the greater scheme of life, these may seem small, but the courage, dedication, and focus these undertakings require is not a little thing at all. We cannot forget how wonderful our children are, all children, and honor them with our attention and praise.

Sometimes, when you have a child with a disability, or on the Autistic Spectrum, you get used to things the way they are and forget how far this person may have come in one area or another of their life. My son was very unsteady as a toddler. He was able to walk, run, etc., but swinging meant dangling over the seat, or using a swing with a back on it. The act of stopping after running usually involved bumping into something.
He has grown into a young man. Tall and lithe, his balance has not been an issue in so many years, that I often forget it ever was. Last week, I watched him at his riding lesson. I had not been to his lessons in a while, as I work late on that day, most weeks. I watched my son sitting straight and tall on a huge horse (part Percheron, part something else). Then, as he cantered around the ring, I was lucky enough to watch them jump. Not a really high jump like you'd see in the Olympics, but two rails, so not a walk over either. He raised up, leaned forward followed the horse's momentum. Beautiful
I was amazed and very proud of him. This man, who could not stay upright on a swing is now able to canter and jump. Sometimes it takes some time away to realize just how far he has come.